Smallville review: Patriot

*Remember, this is the 'non-shipper perspective...

The Good

- Tom continues to be a very good director, elevating his material- Clark's little pout when Emil hurts him removing his kryptobrand!- Clark's little pout when AC calls him a clownfish- Michael Hogan! A performance of perfect pitch. My favourite scene was Clark desperately pleading with Slade to let Clark save him. That's Clark right there. You're trying to kill me but I want to save you.- I enjoyed Lois's duel of wits with Slade very much. And I suspect Tom added the knife threat to Emil - a little OTT, but fun to watch.- Hello, Vancouver Aquarium! You are a lovely location.- Oliver continues to crush on Rick Flag, which will be pleasing to dawnyb.- Lex got a shout-out! The government stole his idea because Lex is smarter than everyone, the sweetie.

The Terrible

- Mrs Aquaman swipes the trophy for Most Awful Acting by a Guest Star from the Head Villager in Harvest. Beautiful and stacked, yes. Able to deliver a line of dialogue without me hooting & throwing things at the TV, no. She made Aquaman seem naturalistic.

The Overly Familiar

- Remember episodes like "Cyborg" where Cyborg's doomed love for his girlfriend is a metaphor for Clana? And episodes like "Cure" where Dean Cain's doomed love for his girlfriend is a metaphor for Clana? And you want to say to the writers: YesYesYes, we get it, we got it the first hundred times, you can stop laying it on with a trowel. So here, not only do Mr & Mrs Aquaman drop by the farm to offer heavyhanded commentary on Clark & Lois's relationship, it's suggested that Superheroes can only function properly while in constant consultation with their partner, joined at the hip. Clark is chastised for keeping Lois off his team, yada yada.

I don't see it that way at all. Clark and Lois should excel in their separate spheres, their work complementing each other. She's not supposed to be a Hero and that's not an insult - she's a reporter, through & through.

It also implies that Clark can't be a hero without Lois which I don't believe for a minute. He might be a happier hero with Lois but if they parted ways forever tomorrow, he would be a hero regardless.

Again, it feels repetitious. Lana & Chloe also got the "you're the true hero, I can't do it without you" moments & it always rang false. Other characters don't need to be built up at Clark's expense. They can be awesome on their own.